


Because I waited my whole life

by yourbuttervoicedbeau (kiwiana)



Series: Songs from the Jukebox [Prompt Fills] [70]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Episode: s05e13 The Hike, Fluff, Introspection, Jukebox Prompt, M/M, Pre-Engagement, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:27:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29374587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwiana/pseuds/yourbuttervoicedbeau
Summary: So no, he didn’t go looking for the box. In fact, he didn’t know there was anything to lookfor,because apparently his boyfriend — is that still the right word? It must be, right? It’s not like Patrick’saskedanything, yet — is good at keeping a secret.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Series: Songs from the Jukebox [Prompt Fills] [70]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775569
Comments: 56
Kudos: 255





	Because I waited my whole life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [schittyfic (sixtysevenlmpala)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sixtysevenlmpala/gifts).



> An irresistible prompt from schittyfic: "David accidentally finds the rings some time before Patrick proposes". As always with Jukebox prompts it’s unedited, barely reread, and written on my phone, so apologies for what I’m sure is a multitude of errors.
> 
> Title is from Taylor Swift.

It’s not David’s fault.

It’s _not._

He was never the one to snoop for Christmas gifts. That was Alexis, who had an uncanny ability to ferret out their hiding places no matter what corner of the house the staff had decided to use that year, and had an itemised list by December 10th at the latest right up until their parents gave up on gifts in favour of a nice, fat cheque instead. David preferred not to know, and let his facial expressions make his opinion on whatever he was being given perfectly clear.

So no, he didn’t go looking for the box. In fact, he didn’t know there was anything to look _for,_ because apparently his boyfriend — is that still the right word? It must be, right? It’s not like Patrick’s _asked_ anything, yet — is good at keeping a secret.

Even a big, momentous, life-changing secret.

A life-changing secret like the four golden replicas of David’s Maison Margiela rings stashed in the front pocket of Patrick’s hiking pack.

He was just looking for a fucking Band-Aid, and instead the ground has been yanked out from under his feet.

It’s only when something splashes on one of the rings that David realises he’s crying, and he lets go of the box carefully with his left hand to scrub at his eyes, his right hand still gripping them carefully. He shouldn’t be this surprised, right? They’ve been together nearly two years, after all, and _David_ was the one to drop _five years from now_ into the space between them back when Patrick went on half a date with a customer, though in fairness he was somewhat flustered when he did so. But still…

People don’t want to marry David Rose.

 _Patrick does, idiot._ The voice whispering in his head sounds alarmingly like Stevie, so much so that he actually whips around in case she’s somehow broken into Patrick’s apartment; he wouldn’t put it past her. But no, he’s alone.

Alone with a set of engagement rings.

Patrick’s never said anything about his silver rings, not directly. He’s handed them to David when they’re getting dressed in the morning, or pulled them off and set them gently down on the nightstand before sex. But he’s never asked David why he wears them every day, or why he changes up which fingers they sit on, or why sometimes he shuffles them around during the day. Like everything else, he’s just quietly observed before knocking the wind straight out of David’s chest with a quiet gesture that shows he understands David a lot better than anyone else has ever tried to.

David brushes a thumb over one of the rings, choking back a sob. He can _see_ them, so clearly, sitting on his left hand, the patterns and configurations something for David to figure out as he gets dressed each morning. He hasn’t even put them on yet, and already he feels like they belong there.

He itches to put them on, but…

But.

This is Patrick. _Loudest eyes in the universe_ Patrick. _A lifetime of promises and a world of dreams_ Patrick. _You’re my Mariah Carey_ Patrick. _A romantic gesture for all occasions_ Patrick.

 _Engaged once before_ Patrick.

David knows how hard it was for Patrick to leave West Canthor; how much it broke his heart to break Rachel’s, especially when he didn’t really understand until later why he had to. He knows how much Patrick has revelled in all the little relationship milestones feeling _right_ in a way they hadn’t for him before, while David had been too overwhelmed by hitting them at all. If Patrick wants to propose again, to _him,_ after all that…

Well.

David’s going to let him have his moment.

He places the box carefully back in the pack, exactly where he found it, before he goes to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face, hiding any evidence of his emotional reaction.

And when Patrick comes home from the store, greets him with an easy kiss, and asks if he’d like to close early on Thursday to go for a picnic, he manages to keep a perfectly straight face when he says yes.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Come and find me on [Tumblr](http://yourbuttervoicedbeau.tumblr.com/).


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